Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a rich and flavorful dish, made with fresh basil pesto and parmesan cheese, perfect for a quick dinner.
Equipment
- saucepan
- Skillet
- Wooden spoon
- whisk
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried pasta half a box, I used penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts about 3, cut into ¾ - 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup heavy cream (180ml)
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- ½ cup basil pesto
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, boil water and salt it. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Cook the chicken until browned and cooked through.
- Deglaze the skillet with a couple tablespoons of water (or pasta water) to get the fond, and scrape off with a wooden spoon. Then melt butter and sauté garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add cream, whisk, then add parmesan and basil pesto. Whisk and cook the sauce for 30 seconds - 1 minute or until the parmesan cheese has melted and the sauce is warmed up.
- Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce, and gently mix everything together until combined.
Notes
This recipe will taste best if you make it with homemade pesto and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Avoid overcooking the pasta. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and enjoy within 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 696kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 37gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 1141mgPotassium: 614mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1457IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!